History
The International Sediment Initiative (ISI) is a new global initiative to assess erosion and sediment transport to marine as well as their social, economic and environmental impacts, lake or reservoir environments. It is aimed at the creation of a holistic approach for the remediation and conservation of surface waters, closely linking science with policy and management needs. The International Hydrological Programme Intergovernmental Council, at its 15th session (Paris, June 2002), adopted Resolution XV-8 specifically to deal with these issues. Resolution XV-8 emphasized the development of the decision support framework for sediment management, in order to provide guidance on legislative and institutional solutions, applicable to different socio-economic and geomorphic settings. One of the recommendations of the resolution was the establishment of an international Steering Committee to develop the ISI strategy along with the participation of UNESCO officials. This Steering Committee, formerly known as ISI Task Force Group, was approved and endorsed at the IHP’s 16th Session of the Intergovernmental Council. The Steering Committee has met several times since 2002:
The 3rd ISI Steering Committee Meeting, Vienna, 28-30 April 2005
The fourth Steering Committee Meeting, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, 11 November 2005
ISI Workshop was held at Sheraton Hotel, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, 9-10 November 2005
UNESCO IHP ISI Workshop on Sediment Management in South and Southeast Asia, Bangkok, April 2006
ISI SC Core Member Meeting, Beijing, China, May 26, 2006
The International Sediment Initiative Conference, Sudan, November 12-15, 2006
The 5th ISI Steering Committee Meeting, Khartoum, Sudan, November 11, 2006
ISI Ad Hoc meeting, Bern, Switzerland, April 29, 2008
International Workshop - Erosion, Transport and Deposition of Sediments, Berne, Switzerland, April 28-30, 2008
The 6th International Sediment Initiative Steering Committee Meeting and Workshop, Beijing, China, November 5-7, 2008
Core Member Meeting of the UNESCO-ISI Steering Committee, Switzerland, March 5, 2010
ISI Steering Committee Core Member Meeting, Vienna, April 15, 2011
Meeting of ISI steering committee members, Kyoto, Japan, September 3, 2013
ISI Steering Committee Core Group Meeting, Beijing, August 5 – 6, 2014
The ISI’s governing structure was reorganized in 2014 in order to ensure the continued efficient coordination of the initiative. The ISI Steering Committee was discontinued. In its place two bodies, Advisory Group and Expert Group, has been established since 2014.
Objectives of ISI
ISI contributes to the 8th phase of the IHP (2014-2021) with the title “Water security: responses to local, regional and global challenges” by addressing the wide-ranging social, economic and environmental impacts of erosion, sediment transport and sedimentation processes with due consideration of gender perspectives. ISI addresses both sediment quantity and quality within the context of global change.
The objectives of ISI are to:
1. Support the global agenda for sustainable integrated land and water resources management through sound sediment management;
2. Link science with policy and management needs at the local, regional and global scale, as well as in transboundary settings;
3. Promote the development of an improved understanding of sediment mobilization, transport and storage and sediment budgets at local, regional and global scales, to support effective sediment management;
4. Strengthen the capacity for sediment management, through education, training and the promotion of cooperation among stakeholders;
5. Communicate the importance of sediment management to decision makers and the public.
These objectives will be attained through the implementation of the following actions:
1. Continue the development of a global repository for data, information and documentation on soil erosion, sediment transport and sediment-related issues to serve as the basis for a global assessment of erosion and sedimentation problems and their social, economic and environmental implications;
2. Update existing river basin case studies and initiate new studies to provide representative examples of sediment processes, problems and management in different physiographic and institutional settings;
3. Develop activities and joint programmes to promote the improved understanding of sediment processes and methods for their investigation and monitoring;
4. Support scientific exchange, education and capacity building for sustainable sediment management at all levels through the organisation with partners of conferences, training events and other capacity-building initiatives;
5. Develop information materials, policy briefs and procedures relating to sediment problems and their management, for local and national authorities, river basin commissions, relevant technical agencies, local communities and other stakeholders;
6. Strengthen cooperation with other UNESCO programmes, Centres and Chairs, other UN organizations, regional networks, international institutions and professional and scientific associations
